Serafín Luis Alberto Cartagena Ocaña

Serafín Luis Alberto Cartagena Ocaña O.F.M. (7 November 1924 – 16 January 2026) was an Ecuadorian Roman Catholic prelate who was consecrated a bishop in 1983 and served as the vicar apostolic of Zamora in Ecuador from 1982 to 2003. He was the prefect apostolic of Galápagos from 1980 to 1982.

Early life Cartagena was born on 7 November 1924, in Tixán, in the Ecuadorian Riobamba Canton and baptised as Luis Alberto. His parents were from Riobamba. He spent his childhood in Tixán. His father died in Guayaquil during surgery when he was five years old, and he returned with his mother to Riobamba.

While still young he joined the Order of Friars Minor in Quito, changed his name to Serafín, and after studying at the Franciscan Theological Seminary in Quito was ordained a priest on 1 April 1951. In July that year, he celebrated his first Mass in his hometown. His mother died a month later.

On 1 February 2003, Pope John Paul accepted his resignation as Apostolic Vicar of Zamora, appointing his successor at the same time.

Death Cartagena Ocaña died at a retirement home, the Convent of San Francisco, in Guayaquil, on 16 January 2026. He was 101.